KANAWHA CO., WV (WOWK) – The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office is emphasizing the need for safety and making smart decisions after road rage caused a car crash on I-64 on Sunday that killed 31-year-old Amanda Getts.

Getts, of Missouri, was thrown from her car and died from her injuries. Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office deputies said this could have been prevented.

“There is nothing worth the results of what we see out of this event. It’s a common occurrence. It’s becoming more common, more prevalent on the highways,” Chief Deputy Joe Crawford said.

Law enforcement officers say road rage caused car accidents often lead to preventable fatalities across the country.

Road rage was a factor in one out of four fatal car crashes that involved drivers between ages 40 and 54, according to a 2019 study done by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Zebra, an insurance comparison website.

From 2006 to 2015, road rage-related fatal car crashes went up by 500% in just the span of nine years.

“At the end of the day, it’s not worth it. We encourage the motoring public to be respectful of one another. It’s not something that should result in what we’re dealing with here,” Crawford said.

The crash on I-64 on Sunday involved Getts, a male passenger in her blue Buick Rendezvous, and a pick-up truck. She was thrown from her vehicle after the two cars became involved in the road rage incident between the I-64 East exit at Nitro and the 51-mile marker.

The male in the car with Getts was taken to the hospital but was released shortly after the accident, and the pick-up truck was the one to call 911.

Crawford said deputies are still looking for dash cam footage of the accident, and they want to talk to drivers who witnessed the crash.

“We want to make sure we get all the information so we can deliver that to the prosecutor and we can make a good decision of if charges should be filed and if so, what charges should be filed,” Crawford said.

One witness of last night’s crash said they saw when the car swerved left and hit the wall, and that they watched the car continue to flip multiple times until it came to a stop.

This same witness said they were worried in the moment and immediately called first responders.

Crawford said the crash could have been prevented, and it’s important that drivers know the risks of driving recklessly and aggressively.

“At the end of the day, if something happens, just pull over and call the police, let law enforcement deal with it. That’s what we do,” Crawford said. “Don’t take the matter into your own hands and let something happen like this tragic event.”